The present exemplary embodiments relate to the art of clamp installation tools and, more particularly, to jawsets for fastening associated clamps, rings and other devices onto objects such as pipes, tubes or the like. The embodiments find application in conjunction with crimping and punching stainless steel clamp rings, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiments are also amenable to other like applications.
The steel clamp rings of interest herein are commonly referred to as “Oetiker” rings which have been used in a wide variety of applications for many years. Those clamp rings have portions which are adapted for crimping and/or pressing in order to tighten the ring around a cylindrical workpiece such as may be required as attaching a hose to a coupling, fitting, or the like.
In the past, specialized tools have been developed for crimping and/or punching Oetiker rings. Some of these specialized tools have been provided with a fixed backstop for ensuring that the crimp portion of the ring maintains a flattened or less rounded profile. Among these, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,884,432 to Watson and 3,402,436 to Oetiker show plier type devices with hard permanent backstops for limiting inward migration of the crimped portion of the ring into the working area of the tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,353 to Erbrick, et al. shows a tool for crimping Oetiker clamp rings with a fixed backstop as well but, in the '353 patent, the fixed backstop is adjustable.
Other tools have been proposed as well. A large manually operated tool having a linkage driven plunger is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,022 to Kruschel and a hydraulic or pneumatically operated clamp gun with an external plunger providing a movable backstop is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,903 to Schneider.
It would be desirable, however, to have a jawset operable in connection with a “universal” pressing tool whereby the jawset effects a crimping and pressing operation on Oetiker ring-type clamps.
It would further be desirable to provide such a jawset with a punch member adapted to perform both a fixed stop operation as well as a movable punch or pressing operation on clamp ring workpieces of the type described above.